NAC decides to buy two Airbus aircraft

Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has finally decided to buy two aircraft – one wide-body and one narrow-body – from European manufacturer Airbus. The committee formed to decide on the type of aircraft on October 26 decided to purchase one A320-200 series and one A330-200 series aircraft.

The A330-200 is a wide-body aircraft will have a seat capacity of 279 and costs $92.845 million, while the narrow-body A320-200 has seating capacity of 150 and will costs $41.289, the NAC said in a statement.

The NAC had called bids for the purchase of aircraft on April 7. Along with Airbus, US manufacturer Boeing had also submitted a proposal.

The NAC decided to go for Airbus after learning that the operating cost of wide-body Airbus aircraft would be 40 percent less than wide-body Boeing 767 and Boeing 777. This is the first time in more than two decades that the NAC has decided to acquire new aircraft. It had purchased two Boeing 757 aircraft in 1987 and 1988. The purchase is a part of a five-year plan under which the national carrier aims to add six jets.